For the last eight seasons, save for a lone one-and-done playoff appearance, the Browns have have been the the keynote speakers at a "How Not To Run An NFL Franchise" symposium. This once-proud franchise has been the butt of many a national media joke, and have gotten little to no respect nationally.
And deservedly so.
That could be changing, however.
According to a member of an unnamed NFL front office I spoke to earlier this week, there is a mini-buzz growing in league circles as to the moves made the past two offseasons by general manager Phil Savage and his staff.
And it's a buzz that portends blue skies after years of dark clouds engrossing the organization.
"You look at the holes this team had (when Savage took over in 2005), and you look at the roster now, how can you not be impressed?" the source asked rhetorically.
"They've gone from being a complete laughing stock to being on the cusp of something really, really good. You hear the chatter at the various league functions and in daily conversations. There was that chatter before, but now it's positive and not just a bunch of snickering."
That being said, the source offered one note of caution, and that's in regard to current head coach Romeo Crennel.
"(Crennel) is a good guy and a class guy, but a lot of people are of the opinion that he might be in over his head as a head coach," the front office exec said.
Read the complete post at http://theobr.blogspot.com/2007/05/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-finally.html